Coming quickly on the heels of Super Eagles’ unimpressive 4-4 draw match against Sierra Leone in the AFCON qualification game played Friday in Benin city, football pitch expert, Ebi Egbe, has given reasons why the Super Eagles failed to soar in the game.
In what was a game of two halves, the Super Eagles led 4-1 against their less fancied opponent, only for the three times African Nations Cup winners to have their wings clipped, as the Leone stars responded with three goals in the second half to share the spoils.
According to the obviously disappointed Ebi Egbe, the Chief Executive Officer of Monimitchelle Sports Facility Company, the Eagles couldn’t shine in the game because of what he described as myriad of self induced problems.
“Let me say that we didn’t play to our true potentials in that game. The Super Eagles team is made up of fast and speed playing players. But they couldn’t display their prowess because of the situation of the Ogbemudia stadium pitch, which made ball control and movements difficult.
“Weeks in and out, we watch the exploits of our boys in different football leagues. Most of the pitches out there are made for speed and fast football. No wonder, Osimhen couldn’t do his top energy and speedy game until he injured his arm in the game.
“Our players aren’t used to such pitches. Did you know how the Sierra Leoneans came back into the game, they returned to the basic African game which is the physical, kick and rush style because they have better understanding of such pitches like the one in Benin,” Africa’s foremost football pitch expert opined.
He added that the second tie in Sierra Leone would be tougher as the home side might take the game to a poorer pitch in order to defeat their better fancied opponent.
